Assessment Success

GRADE 11 FLIPPING UPDATE
This week we had an assessment to see where everyone is at.  I still have that niggley feeling that something is wrong and that there are several students that are not keeping up. I know that it is because it is "right in my face" more than it has ever been.  So I continue moving forward ever faithful that what I am doing is better than traditional teaching.

After the assessment, I was so pleasantly surprised that both class averages are in the high 80's.  I did not change the test up from previous years, so that I could compare results.  I did change transactions and amounts, so that no one could cheat.  In previous years, at this point in the course the averages for this test would have been in the high 70's to the low 80's.

I have to believe that the "one-on-one" contact every day is working.  I have a student that blew me away.  This student isn't much into working hard, doesn't come on time very often, however scored very high!  I think it is working. 

I also had a conversation with a couple of the 11's that are planning to take the 12 course next semester.  I asked them if they wanted me to flip it and it was a resounding YES!!! 

The other thing that I started this week was a "TaSQ Quiz".  Students were able to use their TaSQ sheets to write the quiz.  Students who failed to TaSQ were not very happy.  I liked it. Hopefully, this will motivate them to TaSQ fully each time they have a video to watch!!  It serves as an advantage to them during TaSQ Quiz Time.  I hope to do this 1x/week.  Keep them honest.

Finally, on Friday morning I looked at YOUTUBE to see how many views I had of my video.  There was only 11 of 46 students.  I wasn't thrilled for obvious reasons.  I sent them a Remind 101 and 30 mins later I had 35 students watch it.  By the way this was the morning I thought of TaSQ Quiz!!!

This week, we move on to the Expanded Ledger and the Income Statement.

GRADE 9 Update - This week we were working on logo's in publisher.  We made a contest for them to take a picture (like clip art) off the Internet and duplicate it using publisher (not easy).  They were so engaged it was nice to see.  Also, they were learning all of the techniques that I want them to learn in order to make their Business Logo's. They did GREAT!!!  I'm printing them and posting them on the wall for the Gr 12's to choose the winner! 

My Big "A HA" Moment!

This week I was not enjoying my Flipped Class. Something wasn't right.  It took me about two days to finally go "A HA"!!!  I was working with my Gr 11's and several of them were struggling with transactions.  It was really getting to me.  Why?  How is this possible?  The flipped class is supposed to work.  They had watched the videos (well most of them), but they were not "on top" of the material as I had expected them to be. 

It was really started to bug me.  I was thinking "maybe I should go back and teach them as I would have traditionally... they would be sure to get it then.  Right?....... Wrong.....

Then if finally occurred to me... "I just am realizing who is struggling.. WAY BEFORE.. I would have in the past".  Because I am working with each student each day, I now know exactly what each one is capable of, who is doing the work, and who isn't.  Wow.... how powerful is that?  In the past, it would be, more than likely the quiz or assignment that would indicate to me who got it and who didn't.  Now I know BEFORE the test.  Now I can spend more time helping them and pairing them up with other students.  This realization, I think was key.  I seriously, was doubting what I was doing and ready to bail on what I was doing.  Now, I have realized the power of "flipping".  The good news is... I'm going to keep going.

Week 2 - flipping going well!

I have to say I am impressed with my Gr 11 students and their level of engagement in this new FLIP routine. 95% of the students have watched the video's and TaSQ'd.  With respect to the TaSQing that they are supposed to be doing - not only are they doing it, but they are putting effort into it.  I took some shots of them and their sheets. The picture of my students is very representative of what both periods look like... busy students working together and engaged!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this is not just the honeymoon stage.  If you look at their TaSQ sheets they are all very similar and you can see that they are even trying the problems I give them in the video.  They are writing serious summaries and "reflecting" on the video.  We had our first assessment this week and compared to similar assessments at this stage in the course the results were GREAT.  I only had 4 students in both classes below level 4 (A for those of you not familiar with the Ontario levels).  

 
The other really neat thing is that I had 30% of my students absent for 2 days this week for SHSM certifications and I know that they are going to be able to get caught up easily.  Communicating with them on Angel and Remind 101 has been so refreshing.  As a matter of fact, on Tuesday I texted them through Remind101 at lunch to get them to come see me and guess what...... they did.  Not so easy to find AWOL students in the school.  Now it is!!!

By the way, I have to direct you to Crystal Kirch's blog 

http://flippingwithkirch.blogspot.ca.  If you think I have great ideas - I have to give her all of the credit.  I get all of my ideas from her.  Instead of TaSQ she WSQ's  (sounds like Wisk), which means write, summarize and question.  I wanted to make it sound like a TASK that they had to do.  I highly recommend doing either.  All of the modelling and explaining how to watch the video's the first week has paid off.

Grade 9's:

Yesterday, I tried something new.  Every year, I get the grade 9s to write me a business proposal on a business of their choice that they will be working on all semester.  I usually "tell" them what I expect and what the marking scheme will be.  Yesterday, we took the whole period and I asked them "What is a business proposal?", "What should be included in one?" and "what makes a good one?" etc.  Away they went in groups of 3 to find the answer.  Then I mentioned that I would like them to make one for me, but it was up to them how to do it and how I was going to assess it.  We spent the rest of the period agreeing on what to include in the proposal.  Guess what?... they all couldn't agree on some of the points.  So guess what we did?..... I told them to choose for themselves what they wanted to include.  I can't wait to see what I get!  We even went as far as determining that it must have proper spelling, punctuation and grammar and that it must be professional looking.  Stay tuned for more on this when I see what I get.  For the rest of the course, I will try to get them to choose and be involved in decision making.  Should be fun.